Iowa State’s new world under Jimmy Rogers is already taking shape, and Saturday showed exactly how messy it can be.
The Cyclones took a 31-17 loss to No. 15 Utah at Jack Trice Stadium, and the game swung hard from one feeling to another.
A rough first half left Iowa State looking overwhelmed, then the second half brought a surge that made the afternoon feel salvageable for a stretch. In the end, though, the gap was too much.
That’s the lesson Rogers and his team are learning fast. The schedule no longer offers the cushion of Southeast Missouri and Bowling Green, and the first real dose of adversity hit in a big way. Iowa State had chances to answer, but not enough of them turned into the kind of plays needed to beat a team like Utah.
As Rogers said on radio after the game: “You can’t win tough games against great competition if you don’t make plays.”
That message applied everywhere. The offense had its moments, and so did the defense, but neither side put together enough consistency.
The first half was especially rough for the Cyclones’ defense, which had looked strong during the nonconference slate. Utah had too much control early, and Iowa State spent the rest of the game trying to climb back.
The response after halftime was real, though. Iowa State opened the third quarter with a touchdown on its first possession, then forced a punt on Utah’s next drive.
Suddenly, the Cyclones were moving with purpose. Over those first two second-half drives, Iowa State nearly matched its entire first-half yardage.
That’s where the positives started to stack up. Jaylen Raynor looked like a quarterback who can handle the job.
Omari Hayes gave Iowa State a strong outing. Aiden Flora did plenty of damage as both a receiver and runner, finishing with five catches for 53 yards and 54 rushing yards on 13 carries.
The defense also settled in. Utah finished with 411 total yards, but 139 of them came in the second half, when Iowa State was playing with far more life.
Still, the climb from a 21-point halftime hole was too steep to finish. The Cyclones made it a game again, but not enough to change the outcome.
Even in defeat, there was a clear message in how Iowa State responded: this team can fight back. It can flash.
It can make things interesting. And under Rogers, that means the range of what comes next is going to be wide.
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